Tuesday, 27 January 2015

Since it won't be long until Dare to Dream is released in to the big wide world I'm going to focus my next few blog posts on the book because it's my newest book baby and I'm crazy proud of it!

Today I want to share what motivated me to write Dare to Dream. In a nutshell I was inspired by a book I read.

A few years ago I read Cormac McCarthy's The Road. For those of you not familiar with the story it is a harrowing tale of a father and son struggling to cope in the aftermath of an apocalypse. We are never told what plunged the world in to despair, just that it had happened. McCarthy sort of drops the reader in to the bleak wilderness and encourages them to follow along with the main characters and will them to survive.

The end of the world is not a great place to be there is no denying that. But as I read the book I started thinking about how I'd love to have read the story which occurred before The Road, where I'd be given an insight in to what happened.

As a writer I'm always keen to push my characters to their limits as it is when people are pushed to extremes that they are at their most interesting and revealing. And it is from this place that the original idea for Dare to Dream was born.

When I was writing the story it was called Maggie Trafford Dreams of Armageddon. Kind of lengthy, right? The story was about a teenage girl who preempts the end of the world. I wanted to give my story an anchor through Maggie, I also didn't want to paint as bleak a picture as McCarthy did because I think however dark it might be at the end of the world, hope will always manage to shine through.

Maggie is hopeful, brave and fiercely determined. Dare to Dream details the start of her story but it is far from over.

I can't wait to share Maggie's journey with everyone. It would be amazing if her story prompted someone to write a book of their own! ; )

If release day feels too far away don't despair as Reuts are starting to filter tantalizing teasers in to the world so make sure to follow them on Twitter so you don't miss anything!

And check out Dare to Dream over on goodreads as I've got a feeling there might be some competitions launching over there soon...

Monday, 26 January 2015

January has been an exciting month for cover reveals and I'm thrilled to share another one on my blog today, the cover for Amelia Thorne's second novel, Tied Up With Love. Amelia is a fellow CarinaUK author so I'm delighted to be able to take part in her big reveal today! So without further delay check out the beautiful cover below;

Isn't the cover beautiful?

And here's the fabulous blurb;

‘We’re from KMW. Do exactly as you’re told and you won’t get hurt...'

Being grabbed off the street, blind folded, tied up and thrown into a van was not what Izzy expected to happen when she stepped out the door that morning. But when an accidental kidnapping at the hands of the sexy Ethan Chase and his 'Kidnap My Wife' sexual fantasy business leads to just that, Izzy seizes the chance to turn her misfortune into a brilliant new job opportunity…

Since then, life has been one big tangle of new client meetings, fake kidnapping pick-ups, and handling the temperamental, but drop dead gorgeous 'bad boy' Mr Chase. But, as liberating as being tied up in Ethan's life is, Izzy knows the time is fast approaching when she must make some decisions and take charge of her future. The only question is: will Ethan allow himself to be a part of it?

Sounds awesome, right?

Head over to Goodreads now and add it to your TBR pile! I know I will be!

Tuesday, 20 January 2015

I'm so thrilled to be able to share the absolutely stunning cover for my upcoming YA novel, Dare to Dream!

I hope you all love it as much as I do as I think it is stunning and perfectly reflects the themes of the book! Speaking of which, check out the official blurb below;

“The world was going to end. Of that, Maggie Trafford was certain.”

Fourteen-year-old Maggie Trafford leads a normal life. Well, as normal as being crammed in a three-bedroom house with four siblings and a single parent can be, anyway. But despite being somewhat ignored at home, Maggie excels, earning top grades, a best friend who would do anything for her, and stolen looks from a boy in Maths.

It’s not until the dreams start that Maggie realizes “normal” is the least of her problems. Every night, she lives the same nightmare—red lightning, shattered glass, destruction. But nightmares are just that, right? No one believes her when she says it’s an omen. At least, not until the already mysterious pillars of Stonehenge start falling.

No longer alone in her fear, Maggie and the world watch with bated breath as one after another, the historic stones tumble, like a clock counting down. But only Maggie knows what it means: when the last stone falls, destruction will reign. And when the world ends, there’s only one option left—survive.

Horrifying and raw, Dare to Dream is equal parts tragedy and hope, detailing the aftermath of apocalyptic catastrophe, the quest for survival, and the importance of belief.

If that has piqued your interest then you'll be pleased to know that book is available for download via the Reuts website and my editor and I are busy frantically working to get the book out in the big wide world as soon as possible!

http://www.reuts.com/store/books/dare-dream-electronic/

I must extend a massive thank you to everyone who has been involved in the cover reveal today. You are all truly awesome and I'm sending numerous virtual hugs your way!

So do check out these amazing blogs to hear what other people have to say about Dare to Dream's haunting cover;

Tuesday, 13 January 2015

Today I'm really excited to be helping out a member of the Reuts family with a fantastic cover reveal for Sachael Dreams! Fellow Brit and all round fabulous writer, Melody Winter, has a New Adult romance coming out next month with Reuts and it sounds epic! Think dramatic twist on mermaid mythology epic! You can see the stunning cover below which is elegant, mysterious and so so beautiful!

Twenty-two-year-old
Estelle Bailey has had enough of busy city-life and her hot-tempered ex. She
escapes to the seclusion and peace of her family’s clifftop home in Ravenscar,
where the soothing solitude whispers to her soul as strongly as the sea itself
does. But her newfound contentment is interrupted when a mysterious man—a
Sachael, master of seduction—joins her midnight swim unexpectedly.

Estelle
struggles against his charm and the overpowering attraction she feels for him.
He offers her a life she never could have imagined, a life beneath the waves .
. . but at what cost? Before she can decide, she’s captured, ensnared by the
Sect, a secret enemy of the Sachaels, becoming a pawn in a war she knew nothing
about.

Now, she’s left
with a new choice—escape the clutches of the Sect and flee into the ocean, or
side with her alluring, intimidating captor and destroy the Sachaels forever.
Can she turn her back on the man she might love, or will the secret of her
heritage change everything?

Set against a
picturesque backdrop, Sachael Dreams is the first in a new series, exploring
themes of romance, love, and identity, and the struggle that happens when all
three collide.

Growing up,
Melody Winter showed a natural ability in art, a head for maths, and a tendency
to write far too long English essays. Difficult to place in the world when she
graduated, she pursued a career in teaching, but eventually ended up working in
Finance. Melody is convinced the methodical time she spends working with
numbers fuels her desire to drift into dream worlds and write about the
illusory characters in her head.

Melody Winter
lives in North Yorkshire, England, with her husband and two sons. When not
dealing with football, rugby, and a whole plethora of ‘boy’ activities, she
will be found scribbling notes for her stories, or preparing for another trip
to the beach. With an obsession for anything mythical, Melody revels in reading
and writing about such creatures. In fact, if she wasn’t such a terrible
swimmer, she’d say she was a mermaid.

Sachael
Dreams is her debut novel, and the first in her New Adult Romantic Fantasy
series—the ‘Mine Series’.

Saturday, 10 January 2015

Hope everyone is having a lovely Saturday. Mine is particularly exciting as my latest book, Third to Die, is released today.

So what does a release day exactly entail? Other than waking up with a churning feeling in my gut as I worry what people will make of the story, not much. I'm not really one for any type of elaborate fanfare. My biggest wish with any of my books is that the people who read them enjoy them. I might stretch to a celebratory cupcake later but for me, Third to Die flew the nest long ago. I'm already hard at work on the next book in my Avalon series, Fourth to Run.

I really love writing my Avalon series and I'm fortunate to have been given the opportunity to develop the series in to four books. Aiden and co have started to feel like family to me. When I return to the sleepy, sun baked town of Avalon everywhere seems so familiar and comforting. But after I've completed Fourth to Run I'll be having a break from Aiden for the rest of the year to concentrate on other projects.

Now all that remains for me to do with Third to Die is to sit back and let it take flight on its own. I've poured my blood, sweat and imagination in to the book and that's all I can do. My part in the process is now over, the book now belongs to the readers!

Since I'm rather boring on release day I'll imagine how Aiden would celebrate if he knew his stories were being released out in to the world. He'd crack open a beer, relax in the sunshine in his back yard and savor the silence and tranquility of Avalon. That is until someone bursts through the door prompting the start of his next adventure, but you'll have to wait for that one ; )

If you've read Third to Die please let me know what you think as I always love to hear from readers!